Timeline of events leading to Tiananmen Square Incident
Event/Date
Impact
4/17: Why did students gather at
Tiananmen Square?
Students gathered at Tiananmen Square because they
came to mourn the death of Hu Yoabang, he was also a
symbol of the anti- corruption and political reform.
Workers and officials complained about inflations,
salaries, and housing that caused unrest spread in China.
4/18-4/21: Explain how the unrest
spread in China
4/22 Assembly at the Great Hall
4/25: Li Peng calls a meeting of the
Politburo
4/26: Reaction to editorial; “The
Necessity to a Clear Stand Against
Turmoil
4/28-5/3 Government disagrees on
how to handle the world viewing
what is happening in Tiananmen
Square
5/13 What precipitates the hunger
strike?
5/16: How the hunger strike
embarrasses China.
5/19: Martial law is declared:
5/20 Soldiers sent into Beijing for
the first time
5/24: PLA withdraws
6/3 The assault begins
Students gathered at the Great Hall where Hu’s memorial
is being held at but students also wants to meet Li Peng
but he does not respond. So students decide to boycott
and organize into unofficial student union.
Li Peng decides to call for a meeting and students aims to
overthrow him and the Communist Party.
The real aim was to reject the Chinese Communist Party
and the socialist system.
The government disagrees on how to handle the world
viewing in Tiananmen Square so in Beijing 10 of the
population joins in to protest. This includes all the old
people, little children, and more to protest.
160 students were involved in the Hunger Strike in
Tiananmen Square because the government was not
responding to their request.
3,000 are participating in the Hunger Strike and the
embarrassing protest was during the Gorbachev’s visit.
Students decide to declare martial law but they decided
to draw about 1.2 million people to support in Tiananmen
Square.
Soldiers were being sent in Beijing but the result had
many protesters to be unable to reach in Tiananmen
Square.
Finally troops leave but the government views
humiliation and challenge to its power.
Assault begins when troops begin to invade to four
corners of the city; citizens become more aggressive
when the armies tried to break through barricades.
6/4: Assault continues
Assaults begin when they made a final offer to a vote;
either leaves the Square or stay and faces the
consequences.
6/5: The appearance of Tank Man
On June 5, the army is in control to this one man. Tanks
move slowly so that they can get out of the man’s way
but he resisted and continued to block out the tanks from
moving.
Epilogue over time
September 1948 Beijing setup city’s military to explain
why they had to force the end the anti- government riot.
In 2004 government produces 5 hour documentary on
the Tiananmen.
Based on your notes, write a detailed summary of the events that began the incident and the events
that occurred that led to the confrontation in Tiananmen Square in June of 1989 as well as how the
incident is viewed over time.
The events in the beginning of the incident had students gathering at Tiananmen Square. As
time changes China was embarrassed by the hunger strike. When assault continues people had
to decide whether they either face consequences or either leaves. As time went on the tank
man was the first man who risks his life for all people to get freedom and rights.